Rayearth 3
by A. Potter
Summary: Well, I've decided to take the plunge! Yes, people, I've decided to write Rayearth3. My friends say it's good. Please R+R.
1. To Return

-In the beginning, and Fuu's confrontation with Nightmare-  
  
Fuu tossed and turned in her sleep, nightmares racking her mind. She had  
been like this for three days, ever since the man called Nightmare had hit  
her with his Nightmare Ray. Ferio looked out the window, trying to tear  
his thoughts from this course to the bright, beautiful day outside. It didn't  
work. He heard footsteps in the hall, outside the door. The door creaked  
as it opened, and in peeked the head of Hikaru.  
  
"Ferio? Any changes? May I come in?"  
  
"No, no changes. And come in, please, and sit down." Hikaru walked in  
and sat down and stared at Fuu, sadly, for a few minutes. With her eyes  
still locked to the pained expressions on her friend's face, she spoke.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ferio. But, please, don't beat up Umi about it. If you want to  
yell at anyone about this, yell at me!" She whirled around and glared at  
him. He was startled.  
  
"What, Hikaru? What do you mean? It's not your fault..." Hikaru looked  
at the ground.  
  
"Yes it is..."  
  
Flashback  
  
"Miss Hikaru, Miss Umi, I hear something up ahead. It does not sound at  
all good." Umi flashed one of her brilliant smiles.  
  
"Oh, Fuu, don't worry! It's nothing we can't handle! Come on! If we  
hurry, we can make it to the palace before dark!"  
  
"But Miss Umi, there are many harmful beasts out in these woods. How  
do you know there is not something up there?" Hikaru stopped.  
  
"Fuu, Umi, could we get moving? I want to see all our friends up at the  
palace!" Umi smiled, Fuu sighed, and they continued walking up the road.  
Up through the woods, it had gotten very dark, it being early evening in a  
forest, when something jumped out in front of them. Hikaru screamed.  
The dark-cloaked man whispered these words, as dark and evil as the  
evillest dream.  
  
"Hello, Magic Knights. I see you are out late tonight. Do you know who I  
am? My name is, Nightmare. Servant to no one, there are servants to me.  
Do you know what I am going to do? Kill the Magic Knights, and take  
over Cephiro! And since you are the Magic Knights, you know what I  
have to do, right? Kill YOU!" He unleashed a giant bolt of darkess at  
Hikaru.  
  
"No! Miss Hikaru!" Fuu jumped in front of her friend, taking the damage.  
She fell to the ground.  
  
"HOW DARE YOU HURT MY FRIEND FUU!" Hikaru screamed.  
"Flame ARROW!" Nightmare laughed and disappeared. For a minute,  
Umi cried, and Hikaru pulled out Fuu's orb.  
  
"Ferio? FERIO!" She yelled into it.  
  
"Fuu, is that you? You don't sound like Fuu..." Hikaru, at the mention of  
her friend, started sobbing.  
  
"No, Ferio, this is... Hikaru."  
  
"Hikaru? What's the matter? Where's Fuu?" Hikaru kept sobbing, unable  
to speak. Umi grabbed the orb.  
  
"Ferio? This is Umi. We need help. We're on the road from the woods to  
the palace. We might up with this Nightmare guy, and he was going to  
hurt Hikaru and me, but Fuu saved us and took all the damage. Now,  
she's got these pained, scared expressions on her face, and she's twisting  
and writhing on the ground, and we don't know what to do..." Ferio  
cursed into the orb and said, "I'll be there shortly." He had come, with  
some guards, and they all went to the castle.  
  
End Flashback  
  
Ferio gripped Hikaru's arm.  
  
"No, Fuu decided of her own free will to protect you and Umi. She'll be  
okay." He studied her face, getting a look at he tired frown, and the bags  
under her eyes. "Go get some sleep, Hikaru." She nodded, and left, just as  
Master Mage Clef came in.  
  
"Ferio, you really should get some sleep. Ever since the Magic Knights  
arrived at the castle, you have been staying with this young lady for both  
days and nights, forgetting of your own needs! You need rest, and some  
hot food. You can do nothing for Fuu now." Ferio nodded, but said,  
  
"I know what I need, Master Mage Clef. But I also know that I must  
protect Fuu, and be here when she wakes up. Now, please, go get some  
rest yourself, and save worrying for the Magic Knight Fuu here, to me. I'll  
let you know when she wakes up, if it's all that important to you." Master  
Mage Clef got up and walked to the door. "If Fuu ever wakes up..." He  
thought, and left.  
  
-- Two days Later --  
  
"The reason I summoned you three Magic Knights in the first place, was  
so... you would kill me... Please, for soon I shall wish for the complete  
destruction and annihilation of Cephiro... Please, grant me my one true  
wish... Kill me, please..."  
  
"No!" Fuu screamed as she relived this painful moment, over, and over  
again. Except she was alone, Hikaru and Umi laid on the ground, and  
there was no Ferio on the cliff. It was up to her....  
  
"No!" She cried again, louder.  
  
Ferio jerked awake from his doze, to a scream. He ran over to Fuu, and  
grabbed her hands and held her. "No!" She yelled again, and her eyes  
opened. "Fuu!" He cried, over her laboured breathing.  
  
"Ferio... Aaah!" She cried, covering her face. "He is... close... NO! I will  
not let him hurt my friends!" She struggled out of Ferio's grasp, got up,  
and slid down to the ground. Ferio kneeled next to her.  
  
"Fuu, you're okay, you will be okay. Here, take a deep breath... Let your  
memory come back to you." He pulled her back up and sat her down on  
the bed, and he sat next to her, as she was using him for support.  
  
"Ferio, I am so sorry... How long... have I been like this?"  
  
"Five days, Fuu."  
  
"Were you here all that time?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I am so sorry! Am I correct in thinking you never had any sleep during  
that time?"  
  
"Fuu, don't worry about me."  
  
"But I have to! I consider it my job. Ferio... I had the most frightening  
dreams! I had the one with..."  
  
"My elder sister? The battle?"  
  
"Yes. I am the only one who dreams about that anymore... But I had  
another dream, as well. It fed off of my fears, that while Miss Umi and  
Miss Hikaru are so close, I am drifting away from them! After my parents,  
along with Kuu, were killed in a fire at the theater they were at, they have  
been drifting away from me, as if they do not know what to say... They  
are normal sometimes, but other times, well, we are not as close as we  
used to be."  
  
"Hikaru came to see you..."  
  
"What about Miss Umi?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Oh," Fuu sobbed, "I am so afraid that Miss Umi hates me!" She broke  
off, crying. Ferio tightened his grip on her.  
  
"Don't worry, Fuu. It'll all work out, somehow."  
  
That night, Kalrina, Ascot, Umi, Hikaru, Clef, Lantis, Presea, Ferio, and  
Fuu were at dinner. For awhile it was silent. Finally Clef spoke.  
  
"Well, Fuu, It's nice to see you up and well again."  
  
"Thank you. I am very glad to see all of you, as well." Hikaru spoke up.  
"Well, I know I'm glad to see you Fuu! We were all really worried." Umi  
interrupted. "Uhh, pass the potatoes, please, Ferio." Dinner went on, with  
a bit of uneasy conversation. Ferio could tell Fuu was close to tears by the  
end of the meal. She disappeared as soon as it was over, and even though  
her wanted to follow her, to comfort her, to show her someone loved her,  
something had to be done about Umi. Her found her out on a balcony on  
the upper level of the palace.  
  
"Hey, Umi!"  
  
"Oh, hi, Ferio. Isn't it a lovely evening." Indeed it was. The stars were  
glinting happily off into the distance. a full harvest moon lit up the world  
with it's bright, gentle, glow.  
  
"Yes, Umi, it is. But, there's somebody out there who's probably not  
enjoying the evening." There. He saw her tense.  
  
"Who, Ferio?"  
  
"Fuu." She turned around, obviously surprised.  
  
"What's the matter with Fuu?"  
  
"She- she thinks you hate her. She says you and Hikaru are growing apart  
from her. Ever since her parents and sister died. When she needed you  
most, Umi."  
  
"Are you trying to make me feel guilty?"  
  
"No. But you don't understand how much pain it gives, seeing you two  
grow apart from her. She wants more than everything to protect you and  
Hikaru." Umi looked as if she were about to cry.  
  
"Oh, no, I never meant to make her feel like that! It's just that- I never  
had anyone close to me die before. I didn't know what to say. I didn't  
want to offend her. She got so quiet, so, subdued, after what happened.  
She let a lot of herself go after it happened. I remember when we were  
going to save Princess Emeraud. and I remember hearing her, when she  
had to fight herself, that if she died, her parents and her sister, Kuu, would  
be devestated! I guess she never thought how it could affect her if they  
were to pass away." She slumped her shoulder, her face looking at the  
moon, reflecting it. "I've made a serious mistake. Oh, Fuu, I'm so sorry!"  
With that, she raced off, leaving him alone on the deck. He wouldn't  
interrupt them now. Yes, he thought, looking up at the sky, It is a beautiful  
evening.   
  
"Fuu!" Umi peeked past the door to the bed, where Fuu sat, looking at a  
picture, taken by Ferio, of the three in their armour.  
  
"Miss Umi?" The voice sounded shocked. Umi walked cautiously into the  
room, and sat down on the bed next to Fuu.  
  
"Fuu, I've thought about what I did to you after... The accident. It was all  
my fault. I didn't mean for it to hurt you. I still want to be your friend."  
Fuu grabbed Umi around the neck and hung on, sobbing. Umi patted her  
head comfortingly. Ferio smiled and turned away from his spot as spy by  
the door.  
  
--   
  
"Hey, Lantis! Want to some sword practice? I really need it." Hikaru and  
Lantis were outside on another balcony.  
  
"Sure, Hikaru." He pulled out his sword, she got her armour and sword  
out. They began fighting. Halfway through the battle, a dark figure landed  
on the balcony next to Hikaru.  
  
"So, we meet again, Magic Knight!" Hikaru and Lantis stopped and faced  
the figure. "I sense many fears in you. Perfect! Do you remember your  
friend, Fuu?" Hikaru paled.  
  
"Nightmare? NO!" She lunged forward, slashing the figure in half. He  
crumpled. She slid back with a sigh. "Nice job, Hikaru." Lantis said softly.  
They both gasped as the creature's two part stood up and healind into one  
body completely.  
  
"Well, I'm off to find your friend, Fuu, Hikaru." He was gone.  
  
"No!"Hikaru shouted, knowing Fuu was too weak to battle or protect  
herself. She ran after him, Lantis following.  
  
"Aaah! Umi, Hikaru, Ferio, someone, HELP ME!" Ferio woke up with a  
start. Was Fuu having another nightmare? The sound of glass breaking  
and another, "Noo!" Told him he was wrong. He jumped out of bed, got  
dressed, and sprinted down the hall. Inside, he saw a black-cloaked figure.  
Over an unconcious Fuu, who had blood running from her mouth and  
wrist and the back of her head, was a white cloaked figure, obviously a  
woman, floating as a shield over the girl. Her long brown hair tumbled  
down past her waist. Her blue eyes seared the darkness filling the room. In  
fact, she looked almost exactly like Princess Emeraude, but older. She had  
what looked like a metal staff, tipped with a blade, as big as his thumb. It  
was she who spoke.  
  
"Do not touch her, Nightmare! She has suffered enough at your hand.  
Leave this palace and everyone and everything in it. Go!" The blade was  
covered by a sphere of red light, which shot at him, leving blood flowing  
freely down his side. He looked at her icily.  
  
"I will be back. You know why I am here, Willowa. Nothing shall  
overtake my one last wish!" He disappeared. The girl fell to the ground,  
caught herself, and got up, coughing a few times. She smiled at Ferio.  
  
"Hello, Little Brother. You need to take care of your Fuu, here. It looks  
bad."  
  
"Yes, I know. But- I'm your little brother? That means-"  
  
"Oh, yes. Princess Emeraude is my younger sister. I'm the oldest of the  
three royal children. If you think, Ferio, you will remember. You don't  
remember much about your childhood, I know. But, if your will is strong  
enough, you will remember. But, Fuu comes first, at least in your heart,  
correct?" Ferio pushed back all other questions, and picked Fuu up,  
preparing to leave.   
  
"Nice job, Little Bro. I need to go to Master Mage Clef. See you later.  
Name's Willowa, by the way. You were a cute kid." She disappeared.  
  
-- In the Throne Room  
  
Clef sat in the throne room, thinking of nothing in particular, when  
someone who looked just like Princess Emeraude, except with brown  
hair, appeared in front of him, leaning on a staff. He could see where a  
blade folded out- right now it was in.   
  
"Hello, Master Mage Clef. It's nice to see you again. It's rude to stare. I  
taught you that." But he kept staring, until he remembered. Princess-  
Willowa??? How could that be???  
  
"No longer Princess, really, well, I suppose so, but not really.I mean, my  
younger sister was a Princess, my brother is a Prince, but me, my title's  
changed. Dreamess Willowa." Clef was stunned. So that's what happened  
to... Dreamess?... Willowa!  
  
"No, you're still a Princess in Cephiro, and the guard still protects you."  
  
"Not that I need it. I ran into my brother, his girlfriend, and my  
Counterpart in the same room. He was there trying to save her, my  
counterpart was trying to kill her, I was protecting her. Ferio's taking Fuu  
to the Healing Wing as we speak."  
  
"Why did you leave? Where have you been? Why have you come back?"  
  
"Think about it, and get some sleep. I really don't have time to answer  
everyone's questions. Maybe some other time."  
  
"Just one thing-"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why is Fuu the only one being attacked?"  
  
"I'll give you one reason out of thousands."  
  
"All right."  
  
"My Counterpart latches onto his prey. Every step Miss Fuu takes, she is  
in danger. Every breath she takes, brings her closer to him, Every time she  
sleeps, he knows more of her soul. Now, I really have to go." With that,  
she disappeared, leaving Clef with a lot of questions.  



	2. To Proctect

(Preview by Fuu) My friends, Umi, Hikaru, and I, were transported to  
Cephiro. Upon our arrival, we were attacked by a man named Nightmare.  
I stepped in front to shield Hikaru and Umi, and was hit by his attack  
instead! Now, Nightmare will stop at nothing to kill me and my friends!  
A woman named Willowa came to my rescue after the first accident, and  
protected me from being hurt again. Later we found out that she was  
Ferio and Emeraude's elder sister.  
  
-The stories of Ferio, Willowa, and Clef, and the meeting with Lantis-  
  
Fuu sat down next to Ferio, her wounds healed. Her was staring out  
the window, but she knew he was actually off in another world. He had  
been so removed from the world after he found his sister, Dreamess  
Willowa.  
  
"Ferio? What is the matter?" He snapped out of it and looked at her,  
attempting a very fake smile.  
  
"Oh, don't worry about me, Fuu. I'm just thinking." Fuu glared at him.  
  
"Every time you say that, it only makes me worried. You always put  
everyone else over yourself! Do not do that! I want to care, Ferio. I am  
sick of everyone worrying about me! What about everyone else? What  
about you?" She buried her face into his shoulder. "You matter to me,  
Ferio. Be careful." Ferio realized the truth about this and spoke.  
  
Flashback  
  
"Ferio, I'm so sorry. I know how you must feel about losing our sister.  
But please, don't cry. She knew she could not become the pillar. She cared  
too much about you, and me, and though she loved Cephiro with all her  
heart, her love for her family was too great. So now, Ferio, I will become  
the pillar, when I am older. (Scene changes to where Princess Emeraude  
was talking to her Father. Ferio is on the other side of the door, listening  
in.)   
  
"Father, I'm worried about my little brother."  
  
"Why, Emeraude?"  
  
"First he loses his oldest, most caring, sister, who threw herself off a cliff  
because she decided she loved him too much to become the pillar.  
Someday, when the current pillar is ready to retire, I shall become the  
pillar. Ferio will never see either of his sisters again. It will be scarred on  
him forever."  
  
"Emeraude. Don't worry. I will make him forget." Ferio had tears  
running silently down his face. Quietly, he escaped.  
  
End Flashback  
  
Thunder sounded outside the window, and Umi awoke with a start. After  
a few minutes of tossing and turning, she went for a walk, bumping into  
Clef on the way.  
  
"Oh! I'm sorry, Clef! I didn't mean to-" She broke off, noticing that he  
just wasn't listening to a word she was saying. He came back to reality.  
  
"Good evening, Umi."  
  
"What's the matter? You've been like this ever since that lady Willowa  
arrived." Clef sighed.  
  
Flashback  
  
Clef stood, by himself, on a cliff, overlooking a river at the bottom.  
Except that evening it was foggy down there. A woman (Willowa) with  
brown hair down past her knees ran up. She stopped right nixt to him.  
  
"Master Mage Clef! I didn't expect to see you here!" He turned and faced  
her.  
  
"Well, I'm here. Why are you here?" Her eyes bugged for a minute, and  
then went back to normal. She stayed silent. Finally, she spoke-  
  
"Clef?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Do you think it would be possible for me to be the Pillar of Cephiro?"   
He looked back at the sunset.  
  
"Yes. I think you could do that. You don't have anyone you love, do  
you?"  
  
"Well-"  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"No, no, it's not like what you think. But- I love my little brother. I'm  
always taking care of him. I put him before myself. Emeraude doesn't care  
as much. But it's my personal opinion that I am so devoted to my brother,  
that I might not be able to become the Pillar. I might end up killing  
everyone in Cephiro."  
  
"I don't think it'll be a problem."  
  
"Clef, I always wanted to be there for my brother when he was older, help  
him out, that knid of thing. But now I'll never be able to even see him  
again. I can't do it! I can't put Cephiro over my brother! He's my whole  
world!" Clef thought for a minute.  
  
"This is serious. What do you plan to do?" The thought had already  
touched his mind, even before she said.  
  
"Master Mage Clef, please give these letters to my brother, when he turns  
seven. In two years. Tell everyne I'm sorry. Tell Emeraude she's the pillar.  
I know she won't screw up."  
  
"No, Princess Willowa! You can't do this!" She looked at him, a frozen  
cold, look in her eyes, weary, like it was beyond her time.  
  
"You know I have to do this. I'm not the pillar yet, so it is still possible for  
me to commit suicide. One death is nothing." Without waiting for a reply,  
she ran, spang into the air, and fell off into the fog. The last words he  
heard her say were, "Thank you Clef. I love you, Ferio!" Tear sprang up  
in Clef's eyes. Princess Emeraude came running up the hill, Prince Ferio  
in tow. Her eyes widened.  
  
"She jumped off, didn't she, Clef?" He nodded. She began to cry.  
  
End Flash back  
  
Umi stood there for a minute. "Oh, I'm sorry, Clef..." Gave him a hug,  
and, embarassed, left.   
  
Hikaru walked down the hall. She had to find this- Dreamess Willowa.  
And thank her for saving Fuu. As it turned out, just as she walked into the  
garden, she found this woman, sitting there, talking to Mokona! And they  
were actually having a normal conversation! (Well, as normal as you can  
get if you're insane enough to have a conversation with a huge jet-puffed,  
talking marshmallow.") Willowa looked up.  
  
"Hey, you must be (she put a finger to her temple for a second, then  
continued,) the Magic Knight named Hikaru! Pleased to meet you! I'm  
Willowa, Princess of Cephiro, and Dreamess of the Dreamworld. How's  
my little bro's girlfriend, Fuu, doing? I can tell you wanted to thank me.  
It's no big deal." Hikaru stared at her.  
  
"Oh, uhhh... Really, it does matter. But- Am I allowed to ask you a  
question? You can say no, it is kinda personal."  
  
"Oh, that's all right, Hikaru."  
  
"Why didn't you become the pillar of Cephiro? Instead of Princess  
Emeraud?" Willowa's mouth tightened.  
  
"Well, Hikaru, I can answer that. It was because I loved my little brother  
so much, that I knew I couldn't put him after Cephiro. I lived for my  
brother. He was the kind of really cute kid who needed extra protection."  
  
"Did you ever- fall in love?"  
  
"No. I always felt bad about that, until I realized that the guys didn't pay  
any attention to me for the good of this country. I heard you freed this  
country of the Pillar System. I'm proud of you for that, Hikaru." Hikaru's  
face darkened.  
  
"Yes, but Nova killed Eagle in the battle." Willowa smiled.  
  
"I was taught what I know about electronics and things from Commander  
EagleVision. He was very nice. Once you got over your first impression,  
he was a calm, cool, collected person. Then he got sick. I, as his student,  
tried everything in my power, to heal him. But nothing worked. I left him  
then, after I realized I had the power of the dream. I met this guy named  
Lantis while I was in Eagle's teaching. He helped me realize about the  
power I held."  
  
"You knew Lantis?"  
  
"Yes I did. (Two fingers to temple, again.) Oh, Lantis is here? He loves  
you, Hikaru. You love him, as well. That's so wonderful. He would have  
been a lot less quiet if he had someone to love him before. We're really  
going to have to get re-aquatinted soon."  
  
"How about now???" She nodded, and they ran down the hallways,  
Mokona bouncing after them with an enthusiastic 'Puu-puu!" With every  
bounce.Finally they reached a small room where Lantis was standing,  
looking out a window. Willowa approached him cautiously.  
  
"Lantis? Is it really you?" He whipped around. His eyes widened.  
  
"Willowa? Eagle's student?"  
  
"Yeah, that's me. I've been a few places since then."  
  
"You still look about the same... Something seems different though. Your  
power... You're almost in complete Mastery of it! That's great!" For once,  
he smiled. (Oh, God, GASP! TAKE PICTURES! ONCE IN A  
LIFETIME OPPORTUNTIY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hehe.) She frowned.  
  
"I know I can never be in complete mastery against the power of dream..."  
  
"Well, you've done very well."  
  
"All right, you little Cephiroians, Hikaru, Lantis. I'm going to bed." She  
left. Lantis looked out the window, then spoke.  
  
"Sometimes, I think she forgets she is a 'Cephiroian.'  
  
"Oh." They both looked out the window at the dark stormy sky.  
Nightmare would be busy tonight, sowing bad dreams everywhere.  
  
Indeed he was.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 


End file.
